ON A JORDANIAN MILITARY BASE (AFP) - French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed Friday that Paris will buy four Lockheed Martin C-130J tactical transport planes, in a deal that was announced by the United States in November.*

The purchase, to compensate for a delay in deliveries of the Airbus A400M, was said to be worth $650 million (600 million euros).

Le Drian, addressing troops at a military base in Jordan used by French air forces for attacks on the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq said "despite budget constraints, the president (of France) decided to give our armed forces all the means to pursue your missions."